FAQ

Anime Ottawa is a pop-culture fan convention that showcases artists and products from anime, manga and asian culture in general.

Anime Ottawa runs from Friday, April 3 to Sunday, April 5, 2026!

Everyone! Well, to be specific anyone one who is curious about or enjoys Anime, Cosplay, Comic books or Gaming. Or, if you just want to see where we geeks roam free.

Click here to see the opening hours.

The event is held at the EY Centre. The address is: 4899 Uplands Dr., Ottawa, Ontario K1V 2N6.

The EY Centre is just 15 minutes from downtown Ottawa. There are several ways to get there:

– By car: Take Bronson Ave. South and continue straight on the Airport Parkway. Turn right on Uplands Drive.
– By bus: Take OC Transpo route 97 direction Airport (OC Transpo website is still listing the EY Centre as the CE Centre).
– By taxi: The average taxi fare from downtown Ottawa is $25–$35.

Click here to see the full price list.

Before the show, all of our tickets can be purchased through our website (see below). All categories of tickets can only be purchased online. Barring a sellout, same-day tickets can be purchased onsite at the EY Centre.

To buy tickets online, click here.

Online purchases must use a credit card (Visa, MasterCard & Amex). If onsite tickets are still available, they can be purchased with cash, debit, or credit card.

*No Credit Card gift cards are accepted online.

Guests could cancel their appearance or change their appearance schedule because of other professional commitments or reasons out of Anime Ottawa’s control. In such circumstances, Anime Ottawa cannot be held responsible. All sales are final. No exchange or refund will be issued.

All ticket sales are final. No refund or exchange will be issued.

At the end of your online transaction, your eTicket will become available, as well as sent to the registered email. Please print out the PDF and bring the tickets (with barcodes) with you. We will scan those in when you arrive at the EY Centre.

We have a limited promotional discount if you buy more than 20 tickets of a single type. This discount is only offered to companies & organizations, and applies only if payment is made with a corporate credit card. Please use the ‘Contact us’ form and select ‘Tickets – General’ in the dropdown subject list for more details.

Sometimes auto-generated emails are filtered somewhere other than your inbox. Please check your spam or bulk folder. You can also log back into your Tix123 account here and select My Tickets at the top of the page. If you encounter any issues, please contact Tix123 at 1-888-780-9825 (x201) or fill out the online form here.

Yes. Scanning stations will include a scanner for mobile phones. (Make sure your phone is fully charged.)

We can only accept your eTicket.

This is not a problem. Tickets can be given to anyone for redemption; however you can only give 1 unique ticket per person. Should a duplicate ticket arrive at the event, the ticketholder may be refused entry.

Yes – however not all panels and programming are appropriate for children. Please be vigilant and read the programming guide to avoid any potential misunderstandings.

Of course! Please note that there will be restrictions on photos and recording during panels and other events, but you are free to take photos on the show floor, as long as you are courteous to those you are photographing. Most people coming in costume will be happy to be photographed and will even pose on request.

Most of the guests will have a cost associated to their autograph. These costs are indicated next to each celebrity bio on our website and our mobile app.

For the most part artists do not charge for autographs. There are some big name guests that may charge a low fee for an autograph.

Each guest sets his/her own price for autographs and photo ops. We don’t currently have access to those prices, but we are trying to get them before the show so people can prepare accordingly. In that regard, you can get as many signatures as you are willing to pay for (possibly limited by how large the remaining line is behind you, of course).

Autographs can be purchased at Anime Ottawa, at the actual booth where the autographs are being done (in the Exhibit Hall). The guest will usually have a guest liaison that will take care of the monetary transaction.

On-site autographs can only be purchased with cash.

Typically the answer to this question is “no”, however, we may have online pre-sales available for some of the marquee guests.

You can bring your own items to autograph. However, it is up to the guest to accept or refuse to sign a given item. Guests will refuse to sign any bootlegged material or items unrelated to their career.

The photo op time slots are strictly for photo ops only. Autographs are not permitted in the photo op area but you can get an autograph at your guest’s table during their designated autograph times.

All conferences, workshops, and panel time slots are strictly for presentation only. Autographs are not permitted in the conference rooms area, but you can get an autograph at your guest’s table during their designated autograph times.

There is no coat check or designated area where items can be left. Therefore please ensure that you can carry whatever you bring/buy.

The consumption of food or beverages is forbidden in all panel rooms and the Main Events room. Only water bottles will be accepted in these rooms.

Costuming and Cosplay (costume and play) is the act of dressing up as a character from comics, anime, videogames, manga, movies, TV, or books. Costuming and Cosplay is not to be confused for a Halloween costumes. There is a remarkable amount of passion and attention to detail that is involved in the creation of a piece as well as dressing-up and displaying it.

Cyberpunk Lucy Cosplay? Nothing is too obscure or mainstream. Surprise us. Or come as Batman. Be Batman.

The Masquerade is one of the highlights of Anime Ottawa. It is a non-professional costume competition featuring costumes from comic books, movies, Japanese animation or video games.

There are 2 ways to enter Anime Ottawa’s Masquerade!

1. 1. Pre-registration: A limited number of entries will be available through online registration. This WILL GUARANTEE you a spot in the masquerade and you will not need to line-up for registration on Saturday. A valid Anime Ottawa ticket is required to participate in the masquerade on the day of the event.
   2. On site: The remaining spots will be available for onsite registration on Saturday, between 10 a.m. and noon, at the back of the Hall 2 at the Masquerade intake desk.

To read the full rules of the masquerade, please click here.

The masquerade is a non-professional competition. Costumes bought online or rented are not eligible for any award, same as professional or theatrical costumes. However, these costumes can be presented on stage in the “Out of competition” category. Please note that priority is given to the costumes created by the non-professional contestants. The “Out of Competition” applications will be allowed only if additional slots are still available.

Commissioned costumes will be allowed if the costumer (the one who made the costume) filled out the application form him/herself. The person does not have to appear on stage, but his or her presence in the waiting room is mandatory.

Wigs, small props or jewels not made by the costumer are exempted.

Right here.

The pre-registration form can be found here.

On site registration can be found at the masquerade desk which is located at the back of Hall 2.

You can find those details here.

A complete guest list sorted by category is available in the Guests section of our website.

Please use our website’s contact form.

There will be guests on stage, workshops, panel discussions and more. A complete list of panels and presentation will be available 7 to 10 days before the event.

Guests will have a note next to their bio that will list which day they will appear (Appearances = Photo Ops and Autographs) and what day their appearance on stage is planned. A detailed schedule will be available 7 to 10 days before the event. We encourage everyone to download the Anime Ottawa App for all scheduling details.

Most guests are scheduled to be at Anime Ottawa for all 3-days. Some guests will only make a single or two day appearance. Guests will have a note next to their bio that will list which day they will appear (Appearances = Photo Ops and Autographs)

There are a number of reasons why someone cancels, from last minute emergencies, to illness, to jobs, to moral crisis about their appearance, to a myriad of other reasons. When we book our guests, both enter the agreement with the expectation that they make their appearance. Things happen that are out of everyone’s control. The best advice we can give is to try to enjoy other aspects of the convention while you are there. There is quite a lot to see and do. In such circumstances, Anime Ottawa cannot be held responsible. All sales are final. No exchange or refund will be issued.

No. As a general rule, celebrities will only be appearing on-stage on one of those days.

That information will be posted much closer to the event date. Schedules tend to change several times before they can be posted, and even then it should always be considered tentative. As soon as some information is available, it will be shared next to the celebrities bio.

We ask that attendees line-up no earlier than 60 minutes before a scheduled event. Simultaneous line-ups for back-to-back to panels will not be permitted. Example: Panel A starts at 4:00 PM and Panel B at 5:00 PM. Attendees can line up for Panel A as of 3:00 PM (1 hour before), but cannot line-up for Panel B between 3:00 to 3:59 PM, as this would mix the lines and lead to confusion and congestion.

No matter how early you arrive, there is no guarantee what type of seating will be available. That said, we recommend 45 minutes.

Most panelists allocate a specific time for question and answer sessions. They will let you know!

Due to security considerations and guest concerns we cannot facilitate the giving of gifts to guests. Please note that because guests usually travel by plane they are unable to take gifts home with them in any case.

Photography and recordings may be permitted during workshops, panels, and Guest on stage and in the Artists’ Area at the discretion of the host(s)/artists involved. If you are unsure whether photography or videography are allowed during a particular event or in a particular area, ask permission from Anime Ottawa Staff first.

While we generally require all volunteers to be at least 18 years old, students 15 and up can also volunteer provided they have been accepted and have a completed the Parental Consent form at the time of their first shift. The Parental Consent form will be sent at the same time as your schedule.

Yes. Please note that volunteers are NOT granted free entry. We require all of our volunteers to purchase a Volunteer Pass. In exchange, Anime Ottawa offers a reward program based on the number of hours worked: 8 hours of volunteering earns a full (100%) reimbursement of your Volunteer Pass.

The Reimbursement Program allows volunteers to recoup the value of the Volunteer Pass. This reward program is based on the number of hours worked. A minimum of 8 hours total volunteered over the three days of the event earns a full (100%) reimbursement of your Volunteer Pass. Half reimbursements are not available.

The Volunteer Pass is the only one eligible for reimbursement and can only be purchased once you are accepted onto the Volunteer Team.

Yes. Volunteers can work for as many or as little hours as they want. Before being scheduled, all volunteers will be asked how many hours like would like to volunteer for. Please remember though that all volunteers must be pass-carrying attendees, even if you are not planning on working enough hours for a reimbursement.

The most common task is line management and crowd control. This applies to all areas such as registration,main events, autographs, panel rooms, etc. Other tasks include badge checking, attaching bracelets or using hand stamps on attendees. In rarer cases, you can even be asked to assist with the accessibility table, or the props check table. You will never be forced to do a task you are uncomfortable or incompatible with due to a visible or invisible disability.

No. During your free time, you are free to enjoy the convention as an attendee, including going to meet the guests. Due to agent requests and busy schedules, we cannot guarantee that you will meet all the guests. You will also be responsible for the autograph and photo fees.

Nope! We are always happy to have new volunteers. We will be hosting an orientation meeting for the volunteers and while it is not mandatory, attendance will be highly encouraged, especially for first time volunteers.

Definitely! While it is recommended that you don’t volunteer as many hours, so as to get that much more time to explore the convention, we are always happy to have new volunteers, even those who have never been to a convention before.

All volunteers will receive a volunteer T-shirt, food vouchers (for each day they volunteer), and an opportunity to take part in any planned volunteer-exclusive activities.

Unfortunately parking is not included for anyone. For Exhibitors & Artists, there will be a $40 parking pass available for sale at the dock at load-in on Thursday afternoon/Friday morning. This will grant the holder in and out privileges, and parking will be behind the EY Centre. These passes are limited and are strictly for registered Exhibitors and Artists. Once that is full you will need to use the paid parking area from the EY Centre ($10.00 a day).

Updated February 2024

You can register online or on-site at the Exhibitor Services Desk.

Exhibitors/Artists cannot sell pornographic materials, weapons that are not legal by Canadian legislation, bootlegged material and art that the seller doesn’t have the creator’s authorization to sell.

The goal of being Special Services-aware is to do what we can to ensure all our attendees can enjoy the con, regardless of their individual circumstances. We provide support for those with reduced mobility who are in our entry or events line-ups. Challenges that impact how our attendees enjoy Main Events and Small Panel presentations are mitigated by, for example, seating vision-challenged attendees with the best views of our stages or television monitors, seating hearing-challenged attendees close to speaker systems where possible; and so on. Read on for more details about more services that we offer!

We provide seating for attendees who cannot stand in a line-up. We ensure those with reduced mobility or with service animals enter the event or panel rooms before able-bodied attendees (of the same ticket class) to allow for any extra time, maneuvering and personal setup that may be needed.

We will find seating for attendees who cannot stand in a line-up but will still “maintain” their ordered place as if they were waiting in the line-up so as to not get ahead of anyone. In addition, we give our section Team Leads and their volunteers the flexibility to assess situations on a case-by-case basis; for example, if attendees who qualify under our Special Services criteria cannot wait for their ordered place in line to reach the autograph or photo op opportunity, we will give them priority status – just let us know.

Service animals are welcome, as long as the animals do not pose an unreasonable threat to other attendees.

We have a class of attendees who are “Personal Care Attendants” of those attendees who need someone on-hand at all times to provide significant, personal care. If you do not plan to participate in any autographs, photo ops, and other Anime Ottawa activities yourself, and you are only planning to attend Anime Ottawa to help an attendee who qualifies as requiring significant personal care under our Special Services criteria, you do not need a ticket. We do restrict the number of Personal Care Attendants to one person per ticketed attendee.

The EY Centre consists of a single floor; there are no staircases that would impede attendees of reduced mobilities.  As with all public spaces, there are a number of wheelchair-accessible washrooms.

Written policies cannot always support every possible scenario; we thus give our section Team Leads and their volunteers the flexibility to assess situations on a case-by-case basis and to make helpful decisions on the spot.

During Registration, you can identify yourself as wishing to take advantage of our Special Services program. You will be directed nearby to the Special Services kiosk where a sticker will be appended to your Anime Ottawa badge; this simply identifies you as being part of the program – as you meet staff and volunteers throughout the event, they will know you were briefed on the services offered and will proceed in helping you enjoy the show!

Just email your questions to accessibility@animeottawa.com and we’ll answer you within a few days!

Indeed! It can be found here.

Anime Ottawa is a safe place for fans to interact with each other, their favorite creators, celebrities, and generally be themselves. This means we expect it to be a safe environment for fans from any ethnicity, creed, religious background, political background, gender, gender identity, sexual identity, sexual orientation, fandom, etc. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. This includes, but is not limited to: physical assault, verbal harassment, sexual harassment, stalking, unwanted physical contact, unwanted advances, or inappropriate photography.

Anime Ottawa does not tolerate physical or verbal harassment of the attendees, guests, vendors, staff, or volunteers. Harassment can take many forms. It may be, but is not limited to, words, signs, offensive jokes, cartoons, pictures, posters, pranks, intimidation, physical assaults or contact, or violence. This includes comments and statements made via email, on websites or any of our social networks.

Inappropriate photography is defined as photography where the subject feels they are being stalked, exploited, degraded, or disrespected through being photographed. While it is reasonable that photographers will be photographing attendees and other parts of the convention, should this photography become harassing or sexual in nature, the photographer will be subject to the above harassment policy.

If it is determined – either by observation or by complaint – that an individual or group has harassed another attendee, any or all of the following things may occur. That individual or group may be:

1. Warned to cease and desist;

2. Asked to leave the convention, or;

3. Banned from the convention for a period of time to be determined by staff.